I am the owner of a 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI. The car comes with a 3 year warranty, and I also have an extended warranty. After 3 years and less than 40,000 miles (and being out of manufacturer’s warranty) the car engine would not start and a number of warning engine lights went on. Since then, the car has accumulated thousands of dollars in repair bills, all of which Volkswagen says are not covered under warranty--the intercooler and the diesel particulate filter being the most costly. Although the cross-threaded oil filter during the routine oil change at the VW dealership in Pasadena, CA caused the car to stop on the freeway and created a huge oil mess on my driveway, not to mention a dangerous situation.
My attempts to work with the Corporate Office of Volkswagen has not resulted in what I feel is a fair resolution. Volkswagen knows they have a vehicle with operational issues that has been reported all over the internet, yet they are refusing to take proper accountability. The diesel particulate filter on the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta is going out around 35-40k miles (sometimes earlier), and Volkswagen is refusing to pay for this costly ($2,693+) repair.
I bought a new Volkswagen diesel because I wanted a reliable car that was safe to drive, and could safely transport my family and me safely. Yet, it has already broken down twice on the freeway due to operational issues. I used to think of Volkswagen’s as high-quality, German-engineered cars. But apparently, Volkswagen has lost their interest in keeping drivers safe, and instead manufactures sub-standard cars that are breaking down on owners, even with low mileage and recommended upkeep.
Make sure you report ALL car maintenance issues to VW Corporate at (800) 822-8987. Otherwise VW will insist there aren't issues and will not stand behind their vehicles. I have never worked for any public company that does not monitor the web for issues with their products, if for no other purpose than to be able to respond to the PR element. The service staff at Volkswagen and the independent shops all rely on the Volkswagen web forums to research issues, and it is shocking to find out that Corporate actively and purposely ignores these forums where product issues are reported.